Vancouver Island Symphony
(VIS) is celebrating the new year in mid-January, with a popular Viennese tradition of lighthearted song and dance, as Soprano Nadya Blanchette and dancers from Bohemia Dance Productions (BDP) join VIS for an elegant and entertaining soirée. The
January 18
performance at 7:30 p.m. is designed in keeping with “Salute to Vienna” New Year’s Eve events, that are growing in popularity worldwide, and features the most famous waltz ever written, The Blue Danube.
In Vienna, the Blue Danube waltz – actually not one waltz but a chain of five interlinked waltz themes – is played all year round, in restaurants, shops, and hotels and is Austria’s unofficial national anthem. Without it, the New Year’s Concert in Vienna (or in Nanaimo) would not be complete.
“The story behind this show is tied to Viennese tradition. The Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra for years puts on a New Year’s celebration, which features the orchestra and dancers performing waltzes and polkas every year,” says Pierre Simard, conductor and artistic director of VIS. “Johann Strauss was considered the king of the waltz in the 19th century. He wrote so much music, you could have years of repertoire with his music alone, and then his son Johann Strauss Jr. only added to that magnificent body of work.”
One only needs to Google “Salute to Vienna” to understand the depth and variety of the New Year celebrations, which normally take place on January 1st and are a growing trend across Canada as well. VIS decided to extend the party into January and present our own version of the uplifting event.
Ivana Ho, partner of BDP is looking forward to bringing that positive spirit to Nanaimo, and dancing along with well-known pieces that will be familiar to many in the audience.
“I got amazing feedback from the number I choreographed when we first performed with VIS in 2015, so when we were invited back, we jumped at the opportunity. I feel like this evening may be even more popular because people know the waltzes so well,” says Ho.
Joining Ho on stage will be returning dancers Ian Szkolak and Ashley Evans. To ensure a fulsome evening steeped in tradition, Soprano Nadya Blanchette lends her beautiful voice to create an uplifting and colourful evening.
“I love that we are all collaborating and celebrating with the audience and welcoming the new year with this celebration of life and light. When you are mixing more than one artform together I always say ‘the more the merrier’ because it makes it for a very lively and very vibrant performance. You can see the movement and hear the music and it’s all very joyful,” says Blanchette.
“We know our audience will love to welcome in the New Year with this rich Viennese tradition to lift their spirits,” adds Simard.
